Emotional Chris Chester pays tribute to ill Castleford Tigers man and booed star

An emotional Chris Chester dedicated Castleford Tigers’ victory to CEO Danny Wilson, while distancing the club from a decision on the future of Ryan Carr.

The Tigers moved up to ninth in Super League as they defeated Hull FC in a much-needed victory for a club that has had a cloud hanging over it since Carr was suspended early last week.

The club has yet to resolve the matter, though a decision is expected in the coming days. Carr is not expected to coach the club again.

While that matter inevitably is dominating headlines, Chester was keen to pay tribute to Wilson and was visibly emotional following their triumph.

Asked by Sky Sports on Carr’s future, Chester said: “I’m not too sure. My focus this week has been on getting these guys ready for a tough game against Hull in what’s been a real turbulent week. I just want to say a few words on Danny Wilson. Danny is laid up in bed, he’s not been too well and we miss him here at the club. That win was for him.

“board will make that decision when it’s right. My job today and over the last week has been to prepare these guys the best I could. They’ve shown some real heart out there and they really played for the badge tonight. I don’t have to get my boots out next week; I enjoy doing what I do and I love representing this club, and I know it’s been a real tough period for us. But today showed what we’re all about and the team spirit we’ve got.”

Tries from Renouf Atoni, the recalled Mikaele Ravalawa and Liam Hood got the job done for the Tigers, who are looking to end an inconsistent year on a high.

“That was true Castleford grit,” Chester said. “We were pretty good in that first half and we stuck to a plan. It’s been a really tough week. I want to single some players out; it was easy for me to not play certain individuals this week but I want to pinpoint Louis Senior, he had a great game on the left edge. George Lawler was outstanding too. That’s a real gritty performance from us and I’m really pleased for the boys. We’ve got to make sure we back that up next week, and hopefully we can.

“It’s true Castleford grit. The fans have turned up in their numbers and I want to thank them for sticking with us. We showed some real steel about us and some real resilience. They scored some tries from kicks and you can cop that as a coach, or a director of rugby! But I’m proud of the players and their response.”